Ideas for Covering a Koi Pond From Leaves

Seasonal Netting

• If leaf litter in your koi pond only really becomes an issue in autumn, you may consider simply installing leaf netting over your pond during that season. The issue with netting for most pond owners is that they have meticulously worked to beautify their pond and make it look as natural as possible. Covering it in ugly plastic or metal netting only serves to undo all of the hard work they have put into their water garden's aesthetics. If you can deal with netting only during the fall, however, you may find yourself with substantially less sludge to clean out come winter.

Fencing

• If your pond is in a part of the yard that does not have any trees overhead, but is subject to blowing leaves being deposited in your water, consider installing a fence around your pond. A fence is much more easily beautified, as compared to netting, and gives you the option of locating it some distance from the pond itself. Opt for a wooden fence with an additional mesh wire backing to stop smaller leaves from passing through to your pond enclosure.

Ornamental Grass

• Growing ornamental grass, especially varieties that do not lose significant amounts of growth through the season, is a great way to make a natural fence around your pond. Plant grasses on the water's edge, along with sedge or other high-growing water-loving plants. These will serve to stop leaves before they pass over on to your pond, and can be easily pruned to keep dead foliage from falling in to the pond.

Mesh Netting

• Finally, if your pond is situated directly underneath a tree and is subject to leaf litter throughout the season, a mesh netting installation may be necessary. You can minimize the profile of the mesh by opting for a color that closely resembles your pond floor. Plastic mesh netting comes in colors ranging from a gray to a green, and black netting can blend in well with the water when installed just above the surface. Remember to never install netting beneath the highest point the pond water can rise to, as koi can become trapped and unable to surface for air during periods of low water oxygenation.